The present invention relates generally to missile guidance systems, and more particularly, to a missile guidance system employing a fixed missile seeker having an adjustable look angle.
Conventional missile seekers employ a gimbal system that typically includes rate gyros, resolvers, torquers, bearings, and a support structure therefor. Infrared or visible television cameras have heretofore been used on missiles for the purpose of implementing a missile seeker to provide missile guidance.
However, simply fixing the camera to the missile forces a compromise between field of view and resolution because cameras typically have a fixed number of image pixels in azimuth and elevation. Using pursuit guidance against moving targets is usually not satisfactory because of the high lateral acceleration required as the missile closes on the target. Proportional guidance requires an offset look angle relative to the velocity vector of the missile to account for the velocity of the target. Accommodating this look angle requirement by enlarging the field of view usually increases the pixel size to the point where resolution does not define the target adequately for tracking purposes. Consequently, prior art attempts to use fixed television cameras in missile seekers has not been successful.
Accordingly, it is an objective of the present invention to provide for a missile guidance system employing a fixed missile seeker having an adjustable look angle that overcomes the limitations of and improve upon prior art missile seeker designs.